South East Coast Ambulance Service has declared a critical incident with crews across Surrey, Kent and Sussex under severe pressure.

The move follows several days of sustained demand and means resources are being prioritised for life-threatening emergencies.

A high number of callouts, including urgent cases, were waiting for responses when the incident was declared.

It’s understood ongoing pressures across the health system and the current hot weather have added to demand.

In a statement, a Secamb spokesperson said: “At the point of declaration, there were a significant number of outstanding calls waiting for an ambulance response, including a number of higher acuity incidents.

“This follows one of the busiest days we have seen this year, alongside ongoing pressure across the wider health and care system and additional demand linked to the current hot weather.”